Ukraine reduced potato production by 18% in 2024, which amounted to minus 4 million tons in terms of the entire country, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotsky said at the Ukraine Media Center on Friday.
“We must remember that the 2024 harvest is good, but it is less than last year’s. The decisive factor behind the rise in food prices is a 10% reduction in the harvest, which is a lot. Still, certain imbalances have arisen,” he said.
As an example of such an imbalance, Vysotsky cited potatoes, whose harvest was severely affected by drought, which led to an 18% decrease in gross production, or 4 million tons.
“This is one of the factors behind the rise in potato prices. At the same time, we see that it has been at the level of 25-30 UAH/kg for three to four weeks and has not changed. We believe that it will not change further. There is no reason for potatoes to cost 50 UAH/kg,” the First Deputy Minister assured.
He explained that the current price of 25-30 UAH/kg is enough to cover the cost of growing the crop, even with a reduction in yields. This price is enough to make it profitable for supermarkets and distillers to start importing.
“We have an open market: we export the surplus and start importing products when there is a shortage. When the price of potatoes reached 25 UAH/kg, we started importing from Poland. These were small volumes compared to our production. But these several dozen tons were enough to stabilize and stop the speculative price increase,” explained Vysotsky.
He stated that the current price for potatoes is realistic. Consumers have no grounds or hopes for its reduction due to a significant reduction in production.
In addition, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy predicts a rise in potato prices by spring 2025 due to the increase in farmers’ expenses for storing the crop. The price may rise by 10-15 UAH/kg, which will be 3%. However, this allows government officials to claim that potatoes will not cost 50 UAH/kg.
Vysotsky called buckwheat and other cereals, which currently cost 25-30 UAH/kg, an alternative to potatoes.
He also noted that meat prices remain affordable in Ukraine: pork has fallen in price compared to last year, and chicken meat is in line with last season. Dairy products have risen in price due to rising prices on the global market.
“We have to realize that we have inflation in our country. It is currently at 8%, and it can reach 10%. When there is such inflation, it cannot but affect products, which have also risen in price by 10%. If we look at the forecasts, we will see that the average salary is growing. If everything continues to happen in sync, the consumer will not feel a heavy burden as a result,” summarized the First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy.
Norway, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has committed a total of NOK 1.1 billion ($105 million) in financial support to rebuild Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, build backup capacity and accelerate Ukraine’s transition to a more diversified and sustainable energy mix.
“This partnership will ensure the restoration of energy generating capacity in Ukraine, providing direct support to important regions of Ukraine. This contribution will significantly mitigate the impact of the ongoing shelling of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. As part of this enhanced partnership, solar panels will be installed to provide backup power to schools and hospitals, and a recent agreement will provide an additional 80 MW of power to the national grid this winter,” the UN press service reports.
It is noted that thanks to the UNDP Energy Recovery Program, the provision of heat and water will meet the needs of more than a million people and industrial consumers.
“Russia’s constant attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have led to an urgent need to increase electricity production. There is a shortage of this type of equipment on the market. Therefore, the agreement with UNDP is very important to support Ukraine this winter,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a government press release.
The production, transportation and installation of energy equipment are complex and risky processes that are carried out by reliable partners, as this is vital assistance that will enable Ukraine to survive the coming winter.
“We are committed to supporting Ukraine in its efforts to build a more resilient and sustainable energy system by restoring critical energy infrastructure and generation capacity, and advancing strategic initiatives to accelerate the transition to green energy. We are committed to supporting Ukraine in its efforts to build a more resilient and sustainable energy system. Rehabilitating critical energy infrastructure is essential as people living in multi-storey buildings in major cities have no alternative means of heating and water supply. UNDP’s Renewable Energy Program, through which we are supporting Ukraine’s energy recovery, is a testament to our commitment to promoting green recovery and energy security for all Ukrainians. We are grateful to our partners for their continued support,” said UNDP Resident Representative Jaco Silje.
In the third quarter of 2024, Astarta Agro Holding sold 77.87 thousand tons of sugar, which is 6% less than in the same period a year earlier, and in January-September, sugar sales increased by 43% to 289.32 thousand tons.
According to the company’s announcement on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, the average sugar price in the third quarter decreased by 10% compared to the same period last year and by 10% over the first nine months.
In the third quarter, Astarta’s wheat sales increased by 475% to 128.8 thousand tons, up from 22.41 thousand tons a year earlier. Over the nine months, corn sales increased by 202% to 209.15 thousand tons. The average price of wheat in the third quarter was up 44% year-on-year and 37% over the first nine months of the year.
At the same time, corn sales volumes decreased by 95% to 1,787 thsd tonnes, while its selling price fell by 22%. Over the first nine months, corn sales increased by 7% to 339.72 thousand tons, while prices were 8% lower than last year.
“Astarta increased its sales of sunflower seeds by 112% to 7.063 thousand tons, while its selling price increased by 62%. In the first nine months of the year, sunflower sales decreased by 57% to 27.129 thsd tonnes, while prices were 5% higher than last year.
Sales of rapeseed in the third quarter increased by 196% to 34.91 thsd tonnes, while prices increased by 55%. Sales volumes for the first nine months of 2024 increased by 272% year-on-year to 55.231 thsd tonnes, and prices were 32% higher.
Sales volumes of soybean oil in the second quarter decreased by -13% to 8.217 thsd tonnes, while prices were 19% higher. The agricultural holding increased its sales volumes by 11% in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period last year – up to 35,359 thousand tons, but prices were 7% lower on average.
In addition, in the third quarter, Astarta reduced sales of soybean flour by 1% to 29,313 thousand tons, while prices were 4% lower than last year. In the first nine months of 2024, prices were 6% lower compared to the same period last year.
The agricultural holding’s sales of milk in the third quarter increased by 1% to 25.878 thousand tons, while the price of the products increased by 32%. Sales volumes for the first nine months of 2024 increased by 4% to 85.891 thousand tons, prices – by 24%.
In 2023, Astarta Agro Holding, the largest sugar producer in Ukraine, reduced its net profit by 5.0% to EUR 61.9 million, and its EBITDA decreased by 6.1% to EUR 145.77 million, while revenue increased by 21.3% to EUR 618.93 million.
OKKO Group has renovated 91 filling stations in 2022-2024, said Nazar Kupibida, CFO of the group, during the XXII Ukrainian CFO Forum in Kyiv on Thursday.
In addition, since the beginning of the full-scale war, 37 damaged OKKO filling stations have been reopened, while another 19 stations were lost and closed.
Kupibida said that the group lost 18.5 thousand tons of fuel worth $21.3 million as a result of the shelling of its tank farms, and the total losses are estimated at $70 million. The shelling forced the group to work from the wheels, and the fleet of fuel trucks was doubled.
In the structure of OKKO’s sales ($2.303 billion) last year, 72% were fuel retail, 14% were fuel wholesale, 9% were non-fuel sales, and 5% were other.
In the structure of EBITDA ($231 million), 70% was fuel retail, 22% was non-fuel sales, 3% was fuel wholesale, and 5% was other.
In 2022-2024, the group raised $194.4 million in working capital financing, including UAH 3.7 billion (equivalent to $88.4 million) from state-owned banks, $47.1 million equivalent from international financial institutions (IFIs), and $58.9 million equivalent from private Ukrainian banks.
Financing of investments since the beginning of the full-scale war: bioethanol project – EUR 75 million, wind farm – EUR 160 million, core business – UAH 1.1 billion.
According to the group, in 2023, the retail market of petroleum products in Ukraine fell by 14.6% compared to 2021.
Last year, six companies accounted for 55% of the retail market coverage. The share of OKKO (405 filling stations) was 19.4%, WOG (368 filling stations) – 14.4%, BRSM (214 filling stations) – 6.7%, Avias (822 filling stations) – 5.7%, UKRNAFTA (459 filling stations) – 4.4%, UPG (81 filling stations) – 4.3%.
OKKO Group unites more than 10 diversified businesses in production, trade, construction, insurance, maintenance and other services. The flagship company of the group is Galnaftogaz, which operates one of the largest filling stations in Ukraine under the OKKO brand, with about 400 filling stations.
The group’s founder and ultimate beneficiary is Vitaliy Antonov.
Turkish defense company Baykar intends to complete the construction of a plant near Kyiv in August 2025, the company’s CEO Haluk Bayraktar told Reuters.
“We have completed 80% of the construction and are now ordering vehicles. The date of production will be determined by the course of the war, but the facility will be ready in August 2025,” Bayraktar told the agency in an interview on Thursday.
The plant is expected to produce the TB2 or its heavier TB3 variant.
Baykar currently uses Ukrainian-made engines for its Akinci and Kizilelma drones. The company also recently signed an agreement with Ukraine’s Ivchenko-Progress to jointly develop a turbofan engine, Baykar said.
Over the next five years, Baykar will invest $300 million to develop a turboprop engine for the Akinci drone. This will be followed by the development of a turbofan engine for Kizilelma, an unmanned air-to-air combat vehicle currently undergoing flight testing.
Baykar will keep the capacity of the TB2 and Akinci production lines at the same level, and over the next few years will invest in the expansion of the TB3 and Kizilelma lines. The Kizilelma is expected to start mass production next year in the amount of 10 units. Baykar’s revenue last year was $2 billion, up from $1.4 billion the previous year, with 90% coming from foreign markets.
The company accounts for about a third of all Turkish exports of defense and aerospace products.
As previously reported, Turkish-made Bayraktar drones have gained wide popularity in the world after the Ukrainian military began using them to counter Russian troops, destroying armored vehicles and artillery systems. In February, it was reported that the Baykar plant in Ukraine would employ about 500 people and produce about 120 units per year.
Import changes in % to previous period in 2023-2024
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